02-09-09 Regular Meeting of La Porte Fiscal Affairs Committee

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CITY OF LA PORTE, TEXAS Notes to the Financial Statements September 30, 2008 3. Property tax The appraisal of property within the City is the responsibility of the Harris County Appraisal District (the "Appraisal District"). The Appraisal District is required under the Property Tax Code to appraise all property within the county on the basis of 100% of its market value. The value of real property within the Appraisal District must be reviewed every five years; however, the City may, at its own expense, require annual reviews of appraised values. The City may challenge appraised values established by the Appraisal District through various appeals and, if necessary, take legal action. Under this legislation, the City continues to set tax rates on City property. However, if the effective tax rate, excluding tax rates for repayment of general obligation bonds and other contractual obligations, adjusted for new improvements, exceeds the rate for the previous year by more than 8 percent, qualified voters of the City may petition for an election to determine whether to limit the tax rate to no more than 8 percent above the effective tax rate. The City's property taxes are levied annually in October on the basis of the Appraisal District's assessed values as of January 1 of that calendar year. Appraised values are established by the Appraisal District at market value, assessed at 100% of appraised value and certified by the Harris County Appraisal District Board of Review. The City's property taxes are billed and collected by the City's Tax Assessor/Collector. Such taxes are applicable to the fiscal year in which they are levied and become delinquent with an enforceable lien on property on January 1 of the current calendar year. The City is permitted, by Article XI, Section 5, of the State of Texas Constitution and the City Charter, to levy property taxes up to $2.50 per $100 of assessed valuation for general governmental services. Within the $2.50 maximum levy, there is no legal limit upon the amount of property taxes, which can be levied for debt service. The property tax rates to finance general governmental services and debt service for the 2006-07 tax year were $0.612 and $0.098, respectively, per $100 of assessed valuation. The 2008 assessed value and total tax levy as adjusted through September 30, 2008 were $1,950,489,769 and $13,857,467 respectively. The City has enacted an ordinance providing for the exemption of twenty percent (20%) of the assessed value of residential homesteads plus and additional $60,000 for persons 65 years of age or older for property taxes. An exemption of $60,000 is allowed for disabled persons on homesteads and up to $12,000 is allowed for disabled veterans on anyone piece of property. Additionally, the market value of agricultural land is reduced to agricultural value for purposes of the City's tax levy calculation. 56